Bellefonte Area High School

Q: Is Bellefonte Area High School a good school?

Bellefonte Area High School ranks 325 th of 686 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Bellefonte Area High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, with a total enrollment of 847 students. The school is part of the Bellefonte Area School District, which is ranked 170 out of 610 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Bellefonte Area High School has shown fluctuating academic performance, with proficiency rates on Keystone Exams ranging from 33.7% to 92.3% in different subject areas and years. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 53.6% in Algebra I, 55.4% in Biology, and 50.2% in Literature, outperforming the state averages in Algebra I and Biology. However, the school's performance on PSSA exams for middle grades (6-8) is generally lower, with proficiency rates ranging from 28.7% to 62.4%. The school maintains a relatively high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 87.0% to 95.1% in recent years, and a low dropout rate of 0.7% to 1.6%.

Compared to nearby schools, Penns Valley Area Junior/Senior High School consistently outperforms Bellefonte Area High School on both Keystone Exams and PSSA assessments, while State College Area High School is a top-performing school in the state, ranking 25th out of 686 Pennsylvania high schools in 2023-2024. Bald Eagle Area Middle School/Senior High School, located just 3 miles from Bellefonte, has a similar academic performance to Bellefonte Area High School.

Detail:

Public 9-12

830 E Bishop St
Bellefonte, PA 16823-2302

(814) 355-4833

District: Bellefonte Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
325^th of 686 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,427

Feeder schools for Bellefonte Area High School:

Elementary:	Bellefonte Elementary School
	Benner Elementary School
	Marion-Walker Elementary School
	Pleasant Gap Elementary School
Middle:	Bellefonte Area Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.3

Number of students: 844

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.8%

Two or more races:

4.0%

Hispanic:

2.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 30.5%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare Bellefonte Area High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Bellefonte Area High School ranks better than 52.6% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.96. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Bellefonte Area High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (91.8%), two or more races (4%), Hispanic (2.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 30.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bellefonte Area High School is 13.3. (See more...)

Compare Bellefonte Area High School employs 63.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bellefonte Area High School is $11,427.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Bellefonte Area High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Bellefonte Area High School 325^th of 686 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Bellefonte Area High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

White students:

Bellefonte Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Bellefonte Area School District 170^th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Bellefonte Area High School?

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Rank History for Bellefonte Area High School

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Rank History for all students at Bellefonte Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	48.77	364^th	583	37.6%
2004	65.69	226^th	590	61.7%
2005	49.99	370^th	593	37.6%
2006	66.31	217^th	604	64.1%
2007	58.18	312^th	615	49.3%
2008	59.38	296^th	621	52.3%
2009	61.56	259^th	632	59.0%
2010	69.43	195^th	649	70.0%
2011	48.86	416^th	660	37.0%
2012	50.29	414^th	664	37.7%
2013	67.14	183^rd	591	69.0%
2014	65.50	211^th	580	63.6%
2015	64.66	288^th	680	57.6%
2016	53.31	403^rd	677	40.5%
2017	58.66	356^th	663	46.3%
2018	67.88	281^st	673	58.2%
2019	61.06	333^rd	693	51.9%
2021	77.85	109^th	537	79.7%
2023	53.60	350^th	674	48.1%
2024	56.96	325^th	686	52.6%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bellefonte Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	31.98	470^th	652	27.9%
2024	38.23	431^st	664	35.1%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Bellefonte Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	51.60	362^nd	665	45.6%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Bellefonte Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	43.10	250^th	502	50.2%
2024	58.26	164^th	513	68.0%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Bellefonte Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	60.44	273^rd	662	58.8%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Bellefonte Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	37.84	381^st	577	34.0%
2024	45.09	347^th	595	41.7%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Bellefonte Area High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	887	3	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	891
1989	854	3	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	859
1990	845	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	848
1991	776	3	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	782
1992	753	2	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	756
1993	785	1	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	787
1994	809	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	810
1995	854	2	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	859
1996	854	2	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	859
1997	862	2	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	867
1998	871	4	1	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	882
1999	876	1	3	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	884
2000	913	2	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	918
2001	904	4	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	913
2002	933	8	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	942
2003	933	8	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	942
2004	945	9	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	958
2005	975	11	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	990
2006	1000	11	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	1016
2007	1049	14	6	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	1070
2008	1020	17	7	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	1049
2009	996	13	7	1	1	n/a	n/a	1	1019
2010	967	11	9	4	1	n/a	n/a	5	997
2011	910	20	1	11	2	0	9	0	953
2012	880	20	4	11	1	0	7	0	923
2013	816	14	6	9	1	0	7	0	853
2014	762	11	5	9	1	0	5	0	793
2015	788	6	6	9	2	0	5	0	816
2016	818	6	5	8	1	0	6	0	844
2017	809	9	5	9	1	1	4	0	838
2018	814	7	4	12	1	1	10	0	849
2019	813	7	7	22	0	1	19	0	869
2020	831	9	4	15	0	1	22	0	882
2021	831	8	4	22	0	0	32	0	897
2022	830	9	9	18	2	0	26	0	894
2023	795	4	3	17	3	0	25	0	847
2024	775	3	5	23	3	1	34	0	844

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bellefonte Area High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	891	56.6	15.7	n/a
1989	859	55.8	15.3	n/a
1990	848	55.0	15.4	0
1991	782	57.7	13.5	n/a
1992	756	56.7	13.3	n/a
1993	787	55.0	14.3	n/a
1994	810	55.1	14.7	n/a
1995	859	61.0	14.1	n/a
1996	859	61.0	14.1	n/a
1997	867	62.5	13.9	n/a
1998	882	62.5	14.1	n/a
1999	884	62.5	14.1	n/a
2000	918	62.4	14.7	14.2
2001	913	66.0	13.8	17.9
2002	942	66.8	14.1	20.2
2003	942	66.8	14.1	20.2
2004	958	66.9	14.3	19.3
2005	990	68.6	14.4	19.2
2006	1016	69.6	14.6	21.8
2007	1070	71.9	14.9	23.3
2008	1049	72.1	14.5	23.9
2009	1019	75.2	13.5	23.8
2010	997	72.3	13.7	25.1
2011	953	73.3	12.9	23.3
2012	923	62.8	14.6	24.5
2013	853	68.3	12.4	22.9
2014	793	63.7	12.4	24.7
2015	816	67.0	12.1	29.9
2016	844	63.0	13.3	25.8
2017	838	60.5	13.8	15.5
2018	849	64.5	13.1	16.3
2019	869	64.9	13.3	17.3
2020	882	64.4	13.6	15.5
2021	897	63.4	14.1	17.4
2022	894	62.7	14.2	13.5
2023	847	60.8	13.9	15.8
2024	844	63.3	13.3	30.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Bellefonte Area High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	891	56.6	15.7	n/a
1989	859	55.8	15.3	n/a
1990	848	55.0	15.4	0
1991	782	57.7	13.5	n/a
1992	756	56.7	13.3	n/a
1993	787	55.0	14.3	n/a
1994	810	55.1	14.7	n/a
1995	859	61.0	14.1	n/a
1996	859	61.0	14.1	n/a
1997	867	62.5	13.9	n/a
1998	882	62.5	14.1	n/a
1999	884	62.5	14.1	n/a
2000	918	62.4	14.7	14.2
2001	913	66.0	13.8	17.9
2002	942	66.8	14.1	20.2
2003	942	66.8	14.1	20.2
2004	958	66.9	14.3	19.3
2005	990	68.6	14.4	19.2
2006	1016	69.6	14.6	21.8
2007	1070	71.9	14.9	23.3
2008	1049	72.1	14.5	23.9
2009	1019	75.2	13.5	23.8
2010	997	72.3	13.7	25.1
2011	953	73.3	12.9	23.3
2012	923	62.8	14.6	24.5
2013	853	68.3	12.4	22.9
2014	793	63.7	12.4	24.7
2015	816	67.0	12.1	29.9
2016	844	63.0	13.3	25.8
2017	838	60.5	13.8	15.5
2018	849	64.5	13.1	16.3
2019	869	64.9	13.3	17.3
2020	882	64.4	13.6	15.5
2021	897	63.4	14.1	17.4
2022	894	62.7	14.2	13.5
2023	847	60.8	13.9	15.8
2024	844	63.3	13.3	30.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bellefonte Area High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$00 (0.0%)	$17,409 (100.0%)	$17,409
2020	$00 (0.0%)	$15,848 (100.0%)	$15,848
2021	$00 (0.0%)	$12,552 (100.0%)	$12,552
2022	$01 (0.0%)	$11,426 (100.0%)	$11,427

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bellefonte Area High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 333^rd of 693 High schools	Ranks 350^th of 674 High schools	3.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Bellefonte Area High School)	66.7	43.6	23.1%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Bellefonte Area High School)	70.8	33.7	37.1%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Bellefonte Area High School)	67.8	67.2	0.6%
11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)	71.5	65.3	6.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	869	847	2.5%
African American	7	4	42.9%
American Indian	0	3
Asian	7	3	57.1%
Hispanic	22	17	22.7%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	813	795	2.2%
Two or More Races	19	25	31.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	17.3%	15.8%	1.4%

Schools Near Bellefonte Area High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2024)	Keystone Exams Biology (2024)	Keystone Exams Literature (2024)	PSSA Math (2024)				PSSA Science (2024)		PSSA English Language Arts (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Bellefonte Area High School	Public	9-12	830 E Bishop St	Bellefonte	16823	Centre County	Bellefonte Area School District	No	No	No	No	(814) 355-4833	844	63	13.3	30.5%	775 (91.8%)	3 (0.4%)	23 (2.7%)	5 (0.6%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	34 (4.0%)	57	325^th of 686 public high schools	52.6%		53.6	350^th of 674 public high schools	48.1%	25	53.6	55.4	50.2											$11,427	$01	$11,426
Central PA Institute of Science and Technology	Public	9-12	540 North Harrison Road	Pleasant Gap	16823	Centre County	Central PA Institute of Science and Technology	No	No	No	No	(814) 359-2793	4	16	.2		4 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Bald Eagle Area Middle School/Senior High School	Public	6-12	710 S Eagle Valley Rd	Wingate	16823	Centre County	Bald Eagle Area School District	No	No	No	No	(814) 355-4868	852	66	12.8	42.6%	809 (95.0%)	11 (1.3%)	11 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	5 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	14 (1.6%)	79	119^th of 686 public high schools	82.7%		73	181^st of 674 public high schools	73.1%	62	57.4	68.6	71.4	42.0	33.1	28.7	34.9	62.4	62.4	44.5	35.8	54.4	44.7	$26,066	$850	$25,216
State College Area High School	Public	8-12	650 Westerly Pkwy	State College	16801	Centre County	State College Area School District	No	No	No	No	(814) 231-1111	2,347	204	11.5	22.0%	1,769 (75.4%)	74 (3.2%)	139 (5.9%)	182 (7.8%)	4 (0.2%)	5 (0.2%)	174 (7.4%)	94	25^th of 686 public high schools	96.4%		91.6	29^th of 674 public high schools	95.7%	4	76.2	80.1	86.9											$20,149	$514	$19,635
Penns Valley Area Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	4545 Penns Valley Road	Spring Mills	16875	Centre County	Penns Valley Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(814) 422-2000	649	50	13.0	38.8%	621 (95.7%)	4 (0.6%)	16 (2.5%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.8%)	77	142^nd of 686 public high schools	79.3%		90.6	36^th of 674 public high schools	94.7%	106	46.9	63.7	82.5		50.6	51.6	51.1	75.3	75.3		57.9	62.4	60.2	$18,546	$1,222	$17,325
Keystone Central Career and Technology Center	Public	9-12	64 Keystone Central Dr	Mill Hall	17751	Clinton County	Keystone Central Career and Technology Center	No	No	No	No	(570) 748-6584	0	12	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Central Mountain High School	Public	9-12	64 Keystone Central Dr	Mill Hall	17751	Clinton County	Keystone Central School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 893-4900	1,081	64	17.0	100.0%	983 (90.9%)	12 (1.1%)	40 (3.7%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (3.9%)	35.8	485^th of 686 public high schools	29.3%		34.9	481^st of 674 public high schools	28.6%	4	31.8	43.9	48.5											$19,433	$2,049	$17,384

Frequently Asked Questions about Bellefonte Area High School

What schools feed into Bellefonte Area High School?

Bellefonte Area High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Bellefonte Elementary School
Elementary : Benner Elementary School
Elementary : Marion-Walker Elementary School
Elementary : Pleasant Gap Elementary School
Middle : Bellefonte Area Middle School

Bellefonte Area High School

Bellefonte Area High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Bellefonte Area School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Bellefonte Area High School

Rank History for all students at Bellefonte Area High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bellefonte Area High School

Rank History for Female students at Bellefonte Area High School

Rank History for Disabled students at Bellefonte Area High School

Rank History for Male students at Bellefonte Area High School

Rank History for White students at Bellefonte Area High School

Enrollment information for Bellefonte Area High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bellefonte Area High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Bellefonte Area High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bellefonte Area High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Bellefonte Area High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Bellefonte Area High School